Coin control for scales



Jan. 28, 1936. w. R. MCDONALD 2,029,269

COIN CONTROL FOR SCALES Filed Aug. 5, 1935 INVEN ro M l-LIAM Nc-DONALD.aQ-Mag g Patented Jan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COINCONTROL FOR SCALES Application August 5, 1935, Serial No. 34,706

2 Claims.

This invention relates to devices used on weight indicating apparatus,such as scales.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide means for preventingthe repeated use of a scale by means of a single coin or similar token.

Another object is to provide mechanisms whereby a coin or token can bemade to free a scale for operation either before or after matter isplaced on the scale.

Another object is to provide means whereby the coin actuated parts areautomatically returned to inoperative position on even a short return ofthe weight-supporting platform.

Another object is to provide means whereby the indicating mechanism isautomatically locked when the coin control becomes inoperative.

Other objects will appear from the following description and appendedclaims as well as from the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. l is afragmentary illustration of scale mechanisms in operative connectionwith a coin control according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary illustration with the coin control in actuatedposition.

' Material to be weighed is commonly placed on a platform, and platformsare designed according to what is to be weighed, but all such platformsare commonly connected to some sort of indicator or indicating mechanismby some sort of connecting rod, such as indicated at 3 in Fig. 1.

Such connections also must necessarily depend on various arrangements ofdifferent scales and the rod 3 shown here of a certain form maynevertheless be of a different form according to other details or partsof different scales.

As illustrated, this arrangement refers to scales in which the rod 3 issuspended from suitably adjusted springs 4 that become stretchedaccording to the platform supporting mechanism or lever arrangement, notshown in the drawing, there being an abutment 5 associated with the rod3 to become spaced from a follower member 6 according to the movement ofthe rod and platform.

The follower 6 is customarily in operative connection with an indicatormechanism by which the weight placed on the platform may be ascertained.

Platform mechanisms and indicators are so well known as to not requirefurther illustration and in this case are not to be claimed as a part ofthe invention, only enough being therefore shown of such mechanisms thattheir relation to the parts of the present invention may be visualized,and it must be understood that this invention is not meant to be limitedto the association with such illustrated or indicated parts.

The follower 6 is in this case provided with a gear rack l in engagementwith a gear 8, which, in turn, forms a part together with the ratchetwheel 9 of a rigidly assembled unit for controlling the rotation of anindicator.

The inventor also does not limit himself to the specific form, orappearance of any indicator, or its further operative connection to thefollower, since of no material consequence as far as this invention isconcerned.

It will readily be understood that the rotating movements of the rear 8and ratchet wheel 9 can easily be utilized for operating any indicator.

Any attached indicator is held against movements as long as the gear 8and the ratchet wheel are held by the pawl l0; while on the removal ofthe pawl the gear 8 and the ratchet wheel are free to move, the follower6 forming the means of rotating the gear 8 and the wheel 9 by merelydropping to the extent of the space between the follower and theabutment 5, a greater weight on the platform of a scale, creating alarger space between the abutment 5 and the follower 6, resulting in agreater movement of the connected indicator by means of the gear 8 andthe ratchet wheel 9 as long as the pawl is removed.

For removing or releasing such a pawl, with scales placed for publicuse, coin controlled mechanisms are commonly applied, and it has becomea feature to provide means against a double use of the scale by means ofa single coin.

With the arrangement illustrated in the drawing, a coin may be droppedthrough the chute l I to hit the trap door i2 so that this door that ispivotally mounted at l3 may move to the position indicated at I28 inFig. 2, a lever portion I4 being provided at the opposite side from thepivot to form a counterbalancing means for the door l2 by which the dooris inclined to return to its inoperative position in which it isillustrated in Fig. 1.

The overbancing lever I4 is connected to the lowermost end 15 of anotherlever l6 by the link ll, the lever l6 being pivotally suspended at l8and supporting the pawl ID on the pin l9.

A spring 20 serves to move and hold the pawl in the direction towardsthe ratchet wheel 9, a stop-pin 2| serving to hold the pawl againstexcess movements when the pawl is removed from the ratchet wheel.

By the tilting of the coin trap door I 2 the of the counterbalancinglever M or thereby to bring the pawl into engagement with the ratchetwheel 9 before the follower has reached such contacting position. I

The spring 22 is therefore securelymounted 'on the lever l4 in a certainposition so that its end 23 comes into locking position with a notchedwheel 24 as soon as a coin or similar token has actuated the trap dooras set forth.

From this position the trap door can only be released by a turning ofthe wheel 24 in the direction of the arrow 25, against which, however,the wheel is held by the notched rod 26.

The notch-engagement between the wheel 25 and the rod 26, regardless, isvery slight, since the trap door l2 will readily return to itsinoperative position by means of its own counterbalancing lever l4 ifonly helped to pass the wheel sufliciently so that the wheel is notdirectly against the end of the spring 22, and the notch engagement isnot required to overcome any particular force, the spring itself beingof a very light material, the rod 26 being loosely pivoted at 21 to anypart of the platform connecting rod 3 so that the rod 26 will readilyfollow the up and down movements of the platform as well as change itsslightly varying slanting position and still maintain its notchingcontact with the wheel 24.

As long as the rod 3 is stationary by the fact that a connected platformis held down by any material placed thereon, the trap door will also beheld stationary, but the slightest upward movement of the rod 3, or evenany vibration, as by any jumping onthe platform of a personal scale, thewheel 24 will eventually be turned sufficiently toallow the spring 22 todisengage itself from the wheel 24 and thereby release the trap door. [2to inoperative position. Any further jumping on the platform will justmerely lift the follower and thereby hold the indicator above thejumping or vibration caused uppermost position and not furnish anyfurther correct weight indication. On a full return of the rod 3 to itsuppermost position the follower also will just naturally be returned toits uppermost position and therewith any attached indicator to itsinoperative position.

A new coin or token must then necessarily be inserted first before anyfurther indication can be obtained. 7

' From the above and from the illustration it should also readily beunderstood that a coin or token may be inserted equally well before orafter any material is placed on any scales to which this arrangementisapplied, since any downward movement of the platform, as representedby the rod 3, and thereby any downward movement of the rod 26 does notin the least affect any of the operations of the trap door l2'or any ofthe parts that affect the closing of the trap door, since the spring end23 will merely rattle lightly over the notch ends'of the wheel 24-whenthe wheel is turned in the opposite direction of the arrow 25.

It will be noticed that the link connection between the link member I land the lever I4 is somewhat beyond dead center position, eventually notnecessary but serving to help in the adjustment for theweight ofdifferent coins, so that the trap door must eventually be operatedagainst the tension of the pawl spring 20.

Tensions can furthermore be adjusted by the adjustment indicated at 28,by which the lever I6 can be lowered or raised generally so as to changeor influence of the link position at I! in Fig. 1; and anotheradjustment indicated at 29, by which thepivot l3,'and therewith thewhole trap door can be moved back and forth in a sidewise direction,eventually increasing the tension of the spring 20 on the operation ofthe trap door.

Having thus described my. invention, I claim:-

1. In a weighing device, a coin chute, a weight ascertaining mechanismincluding a gear pinion and a ratchet wheel securely combined for rota-ction around a common axis, a coin trap pivotally mounted with respect tothe chute to be actuated by a coin passing through the chute, acounterweight portion on the coin trap extending beyond the pivotmounting for returning the coin trap to and normally maintaining it ininoperative position, a ratchet pawl support pivotally suspended at oneend and with the other end extending to a point near said counterweightportion, a link member connecting the'ratchet pawl support andcounterweight portion, a ratchet pawl pivotally. mounted on said supportunder spring tension that normally allows said sprocket, wheel andgearpinion as well as the weight ascertaining mechanism as a whole torotateinone directiononly, locking against movements in the oppositedirection, said counterweight portion and link member functioning inmanner of a toggle to .fold when the, trap is actuated by a coin soastoswing theconnected suspended ratchet pawl support to such an extentthat said pawl is withdrawn sufiiciently to allow said weightascertaining mechanism to move in said opposite direction, an operatingmember mounted for rotation subject to movements of a cooperativelyconnected weighing device, and a spring member with one end securedto-the coin trap and with the other end disposed to become engaged withsaid operating; member when the coin trap is actuated.

2. In a weighing device including a; part extending upwardly from themovable supports upon which normally materials are placed for weighingpurposes, a coin controlled indicating mechanism including a coin chute,a weight ascertaining mechanism including a gear pinion and aratchet'wheel securely combined for rotation around a common axis, acoin'trap pivotally mounted with respect to the chute to be actuated bya coin passing throughthe chute, a counterweight portion on the cointrap extending beyond the pivot mounting for returning the coin trap toand normally maintaining it in inoperative position, a ratchet pawlsupport pivotally suspended atone end and with the other end extendingto .a point near said counterweight portion, a link member connectingthe, ratchet pawl support and counterweight portion, a ratchet pawlpivotally mounted on said support under spring tension that normallyallows said sprocket wheel and gear pinion as well as the weightascertaining mechanism as a whole to ro- 76 gaging means for rotatingsaid operating member by the up and down movements of the movablesupports of a weighing device, and a spring member with one end securedto the coin trap and with the other end normally disposed free 5 ofengagement and adapted to become engaged with said operating member whenthe coin trap is actuated to be set free again by any upward movement ofsaid part subject to upward movements of the movable supports of theweighing 10 device.

WILLIAM R. MCDONALD.

